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I'll start , Naas near home and always made feel welcome , some brilliant racing all year , food on course is brilliant, Kevin you owe me for that 
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Great viewing, great atmosphere most days and great value , Dermot you owe me for that.. Seriously one of the best tracks and always trying to improve ....Some of the best finishes you could wish to see and some brilliant horses both Flat and N.H have raced there...
..Great viewing, great atmosphere most days and great value , Dermot you owe me for that
.. Seriously one of the best tracks and always trying to improve ....Some of the best finishes you could wish to see and some brilliant horses both Flat and N.H have raced there...
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York, its simply the best.
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.......followed by Hexham, the most picturesque course in the UK.
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I love both those tracks and always look forward to visiting them..
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Goodwood and Newbury very nice. But Salisbury a bit closer to home and probs easier to find winners.
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Goodwood for me on the flat, and I know a lot of people don't rate Ascot's jump course but it is my favourite.
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Sandown could do with updating but the whole set up takes some beating for me.
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As i walk the dog every day on the Westwood, has to be Beverley followed by York.
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Give me a Summer day's jumping at Newton Abbot any time , for the day out rather than the quality of racing
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Goodwood. One could see the start to the finish. For me, an added bonus was watching Dancing Brave winning after his defeat at Epsom prior to winning The Arc at Longchamp.
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Cartmel..... a night at my mate's place, a meet up at a local car owner's club then Cartmel village to watch the world go by with a coffee followed by parking the picnic table at the fence before the priory to watch the races - what could be better? Winners? Who cares
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^^ went to the Westwood for the first time on my 50th. Agree with you about York too
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Lee Ho , I believe that there's a Sticky Toffee Pudding shop at Cartmel?
The commentators hardly ever mention it!!! |
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Can't say I've ever heard them mentioning it either
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Hexham rightly gets a nod for being picturesque. You couldn't always see it though. I went there after work one night many years ago. It was cold dull evening, the races run in fading light. Damp low cloud was lingering in the natural bowl. The sort of dreek penetrating wetness in the air that spears the soul. I remember a wizened old jockey bracing himself as he took one down early and how isolated he looked, face grimaced against the weather as the horse broke stride to canter past. He was wearing old fashioned woolen colours with a polo neck, red and white quarters, blue sleeves, that must have gained half a stone after weighing out. It was a rite of passage and I absolutely loved it!
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In order
Longchamp Ascot Cheltenham White City  |
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Cartmel . Always has been , always will
 Favourite meeting however ............ The Cheltenham Festival . Hardly original but hey ho  |
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Newbury & Goodwood
Used the hospitality facilities numerous times and my guests always gave very positive feedback , plus always great jumps racing at Newbury. Can't help but add three tracks i hated and will never attend again........ Epsom Chester Windsor |
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Going off-topic
Does anyone remember Stockton racetrack? when it was going was it at Catterick/Carlisle level or maybe a bit better than that. Were any decent races ran there? |
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I remember Stockton - Teeside,definitely higher profile than Catterick,it was dual purpose but think it might have had a minor classic trial?
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Stockton or Teeside Park.
Train from Darlo to Thornaby then the long walk to the racecourse win a few quid then pop next door to Cleveland park dogs then the even longer walk back to the station in the pouring rain with coppers in my pocket. GREAT DAYS. Ronnie. |
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Longchamp was an unforgettable experience for viewing, quality of racing, and cost.
Being taken by private plane to a box at Cheltenham by one of the 'Gay Future' gang was pretty memorable too. |
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For me, almost all tracks have some sort of appeal. But, pushed, it would be Beverley, Sandown and Kelso just scraping home at the top of the list! Thirsk, not far behind.
Have to agree with the poster who listed Chester as a no-no, though! Also, Kempton, even when the flat was on turf there, never conjured up of an atmosphere except for Boxing Day. Hard to say why, but the grandstand never did / still doesn't ever see the sun shine on it and so was / is pretty gloomy - I have not been there since 2001, bar an evening meeting last February. Enough said about that grim experience... |
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Sandown is a great viewing track but it is a puzzle how poor the average crowds are being close to London and with a train service direct to the course.
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Loads of great racecourses in the uk but ascot is the best followed by Kelso ,as I say there are many ,racecourse that deserve more credit for various reasons are catterick,Hamilton,and plumpton,not many I don’t like but Windsor,Huntingdon and bath would be three I wouldn’t visit again although out of curiosity I may go and see the national hunt at windsor.I don’t like Doncaster but they stage good racing so will continue to go,this won’t be popular but I do find Perth,cartmel and goodwood overrated.
In Ireland Gowran park would be my number one for the all round day out at a national hunt fixture it tops the lot,on totally different scales the curragh and thurles and great racecourse although for some reason the curragh is unloved by the Irish,the two tracks I didn’t think much of were Clonmel and Killarney .whilst I accept the racing both code is very good I do think Naas is overrated. |
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I forgot to add limerick to Clonmel and Killarney
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Not been to the new longchamp but Andrew tells me how good it is so I’m happy to give it a try at some stage.
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Morning Guys,
I agree with those who dislike Windsor, i felt the same in bygone years. It used to be a local track for me (pre-1984) although i didn't go there every week; i also owned Greyhounds running at nearby Slough. I haven't been to many UK tracks anyway, i think around 10, all in the south, only Leopardstown in Ireland (3 occasions) but several abroad. Jimnast i love Longchamp, not necessarily the new stand that i think is a bit gaudy, but the whole weekend experience with top quality racing. Queues for placing a bet are much reduced these days with fixed terminals everywhere and operators with hand-carrying machines. Garden area for families. Getting to the course is easy with Navette buses (free shuttle) to/from a couple of metro stations in Paris. I've also been to non-Arc weekends, last year i went to the 2000/1000 Guineas meeting (same day) and the Arc Trials in September. 20 euros and sit where you like, good views from upper floors and nowhere near the crowds on Arc Sunday. I really recommend it. |
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Cartmel
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Think most of my favs have been covered, the 2 biggest disappointments for me were Windsor and Lingfield, had an image what was totally different to reality!
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To me it's all about the quality of the racing and fairness of track so York.
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Ascot because i had my biggest bet ever and it Won..Honest.Newton Abbot Went there 30 Years ago with £20 and camne home with £700.
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What was the horse Acey?
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Drum Taps Ascot Gold Cup £500 13-2 Happy Days.
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I'd put in a mention for Pontefract. I'm more of a jumps person but Ponte is the best of the flat courses I have been to for viewing purposes. Despite being about 2 miles round you can easily see everything. Much better than the courses that run 6 out of 7 races on a straight mile imo.
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Nice one, with Frankie on board too
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Don't have to say it but it was my first. Still go a couple of times a year when I play golf just across the loch.
Took me a long time (2019) but York, for the people/staff/course and quality of racing. For NH it simply has to be Cheltenham . |
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Like the variety we have so not really against any although having been to Newcastle several times recently have to say when it's an ordinary quiet day it's absolutely fine,was there on Sunday and was very well looked after but went on plate day this summer and realised what a dump it is when there's a crowd,they have literally spent nothing on it for years and the facilities couldn't cope.If ever there was a track that summed up Arc's priorities this is it.
Have to say York as fav,do everything well and terrific value for money compared to most,William Derby gets it. First year at Royal Ascot last year and thoroughly enjoyed it,a great racecourse and the most striking thing I came away with was the staff,simply all so friendly and helpful,some of the dullard jobsmiths in the north could learn a lot from them. Not any mentions of Cheltenham? I get some of the criticisms but still always feel a tinge of excitement when walking in,simply a wonderful racing arena. |
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I like quirky courses with a view, so Bath is my no. 1. Salisbury close behind, Goodwood 3rd.
Historically, Lewes, not that I was old enough to ever go, but 60 years on since closure, it's still there. I totally love the place, and the town. |
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Talking about tinge of excitement i always got that entering Aintree even in the off season , used to attend the meeting room frequently when the place was closed but excitement was still there even without a crowd , sounds crazy i know but that's Aintree and could never avoid thinking back to particular past races whilst walking up the stairs , think it was mostly seeing the Red Rum statue when the nostalgia kicked in.
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